Almost monthly newsletter - October 2025
Well, it’s been a while, Easter has been and gone (so much for a mid-winter newsletter) and now we are heading towards Christmas!
This one is a bigger newsletter due to us updating pricing of our plans, and also some small changes to our terms and conditions, so it’s a bit of a long read sorry.
With the relatively mild winter we have been flat out upgrading a few more of our wireless towers and expanding our own fibre build around the Manawatu region, we are nearly finished our Colyton area build, and our next big planned extension is into Pharazyn Rd, Brewsters Line, Makino Road. Additionally, just after Christmas we are hoping to start building fibre in to Halcombe township, we are drawing up plans now, with hope our contractors will be starting late January 2026.
We are also finally making some good progress in getting all our Rual Wireless Limited customers over on to our upgraded Inspire Net Wireless towers and the fibre network wherever it is available. We hope to have everyone across by Christmas all going to plan, if the weather starts to play ball again.
Some of the new sites have ended up quite a lot bigger than ones in the past, here are a few snapshots from some of the nicer winter days we have spent in the hills. |
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Due to the increased workload and a few staff moving on after a number of years with Inspire Net (to further their careers) we have 6 new staff that have arrived since Easter. This has meant we have extra resources in our Helpdesk and Infrastructure teams to continue to be able to grow our business.
Did you know that over half of our staff have been with us for more than 10 years and several have been here over 20 years. Its so great that we can be a company that supports our staff through many stages of a career, and I am so grateful to all of them for being part of our team.
With all the cost pressures that we have incurred over the last few years between supplier cost increases for access to the UFB network, the US dollar change (we purchase our upstream capacity in USD) and inflation, we are going to be changing some of our plans and prices for many of our current plans, which means some services do go up (and some go down). We are also introducing a new lower speed, lower priced, fibre plan that will be our entry level plan, as we understand that our customers are also impacted by inflation. The new 100/20Mbit plan, while slower, is still plenty of speed for things like streaming or online gaming.
We have tried to keep these changes to as low as possible, and some of the higher end plans are actually getting cheaper, but the base costs for us have gone up, and this impacts a lot of the smaller plans we sell.
The following tables are a brief summary of the changes, but each customer should receive a separate email to this, explaining the changes to your individual plan in more detail.
Prices will take effect from your next rollover date after the 30th October 2025. All prices below are inclusive of GST.
We are additionally making some changes to our @inspire.net.nz mail services, for people that have kept their mailboxes when they have moved elsewhere, or have multiple mail accounts with us. In the modern world of scammers and spammers, mail services cost a lot to keep working, and the majority of people use cloud-based services such as Gmail, Outlook and iCloud.
Our customers in the past got 1 free mail account with any Inspire connection, and this will continue as per normal for all of you who have that service now.
For customers that have additional mail accounts with us, these will increase from $3/month to $5/month, and for customers paying for yearly mail accounts (where they have no other services with us), this will increase from $36/annum to $60/annum.
Finally, for those of you that require physically posted invoices, this price will go up from $3 to $5 per envelope sent.
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We are also launching our new website the first week of November which is aimed to be a bit slicker and hopefully reflect our people and what we do a bit better. Much like the builders house, or mechanics car, this has been on our round-to-it for far too long. This launch coincides with the price changes, so the new website will have the new pricing on.
The most common comments I get when I bump into customers or they see one of our Utes they just wander over to say hey I’m a customer and thanks I get to talk with a real person who can help!
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We are proud to sponsor!
Which is on Saturday 1st of November
Whanganui Squash - spring tournament
Manawatu Golf club – hole 13 |
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More tips from our Helpdesk
Is Your Internet Acting Up? Try These Quick Fixes Before Calling Us!
We know how frustrating a slow or spotty connection can be! Before reaching out, here are a few simple things you can check that might get you back online faster:
- Give your router a quick restart – Turning it off and on again can work wonders!
- Check your cables – A loose or unplugged cable could be the culprit.
- Using a Wi-Fi extender? – Make sure it’s plugged in, powered on, and positioned within range of your main router.
- Try another device (another computer, phone, or tablet) – If the issue is only happening on one device, it might be a device-specific problem
There are also a lot of scam emails doing the rounds so be extra vigilant with these and don’t click on any links
If you are still having trouble, don’t worry—we’re here to help! Reach out, and we’ll get you sorted. 0800 484 363😊
With our new prices coming soon, it’s a great time to check how you’re currently paying us.
- Automatic Payments: If you pay by Automatic Payment, you might need to update the amount with your bank to match the new prices.
- Direct Debit: If you’re on Direct Debit, you’re all set — there’s nothing you need to do!
Thinking about switching to Direct Debit? Give us a quick call and we’ll happily send you a form to make the change nice and easy.
Just remember if you are on Direct Debit, you need funds in your account!
Thanks for being with us!
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Vulnerable Consumer Policy
Commission 111 Code
The purpose of the Commission 111 Contact Code is to ensure that vulnerable consumers, or persons on their behalf, have reasonable access to an appropriate means of contacting the 111 emergency service in the event of a power failure.
The code supports consumers who can no longer call 111 in a power cut because they have moved to new home phone technologies like fibre and fixed wireless. These technologies need a power supply in the home to work, meaning they will not work in a power cut, without an independent power source.
Under the Code, telecommunications service providers must tell new customers, and remind existing customers at least once a year, that their home phone may not work in a power cut. Providers must also tell their customers how they can protect themselves and where to go for further support.
Home phone customers who don’t have an alternative way to contact 111 in a power cut can apply to their provider if they are at particular risk of needing to call emergency services for health, security or disability reasons. If they qualify, their provider will work with them to determine the right product for their particular needs, at no cost to the consumer.
The Code comes into effect in February 2021, though providers have until August 2021 to make the process for extra support available to vulnerable consumers.
What this means for Inspire Net Customers
When there is a power failure, if you are a VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) customer this means your phone will not operate to call 111, if needed, as it works digitally via your internet connection, which also won’t be working. Items like cordless phones and medical alarms will also likely not work unless you have an alternative connection which doesn’t rely on power to operate.
Most people will have a cellphone that they can call 111 if needed, however in some instances this service may not be available due to location.
If you are an Inspire Net VOIP customer who is vulnerable (a person who is at particular risk of requiring 111, with for example a medical condition) and doesn’t have an alternative means of contacting 111 in the case of a power failure please call or email us and we can work with you to come up with a suitable solution at no cost to you. Note there is a form to complete which we can work through with you, if needed, and some proof of vulnerability is required. This form is also available on our website.
For further information, this link takes you to the complete code and here are the FAQs.
How to apply
You can download the pdf version of the application form here. Please print this form, fill it out and return it to Inspire Net. If you have any trouble filling out the form, feel free to give us a call on 0800 484 363.
More information
What you need to know.
Can you call 111 in a power cut? If the power goes out and there is an emergency, will you or your loved ones be able to contact 111? Most modern home phones require power to work. It’s important that you know what technology your home phone uses and that you also check your family and friends understand this and are prepared.
Click here to view the factsheet.
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Terms and Conditions Changes
We’re updating our Terms and Conditions to improve account security, clarify how maintenance and outages are managed, and add a policy on respectful treatment of staff. Connection changes and cancellations must now be made by calling 0800 484 363 (not by email), and all references to theteam@inspire.net.nz have been updated to helpdesk@inspire.net.nz.
These changes will accompany our new website when it is rolled out in November.
Key Changes
1. Connection Changes and Cancellations
- You can no longer use email to cancel or alter a connection.
- For security reasons, all account changes must be made by calling 0800 484 363, where we can verify your identity over the phone.
Updated Clauses:
- 13.1.1 Open Term Contracts
- Old: “No early termination charges apply for services where Open Term was selected as the contract term. You can terminate an Open Term service at the end of any billing period by advising us either in writing (theteam@inspire.net.nz) or by calling us on 0800 484 363.”
- New: “You can terminate an Open Term service at the end of any billing period by calling us on 0800 484 363.”
- 13.2
- Old: “You can terminate your service by advising us either in writing (theteam@inspire.net.nz) or by calling us on 0800 484 363. We may require you to confirm in writing any advice you give us by phone.”
- New: “You can terminate your service by calling us on 0800 484 363.”
- 18.2 Changes to Terms
- Old: “…You can make this request by writing to theteam@inspire.net.nz.”
- New: “…You can make this request by contacting us on 0800 484 363.”
- All mentions of theteam@inspire.net.nz have been updated to helpdesk@inspire.net.nz.
2. Treatment of Staff and Representatives
We expect all customers to treat Inspire Net staff and representatives with courtesy and respect.
- Abuse, harassment, or mistreatment (verbal, written, or online) will not be tolerated.
- Repeated or serious instances may result in immediate suspension or cancellation of services at our discretion.
3. Service Maintenance and Outages
To keep our network operating safely and reliably, Inspire Net carries out regular maintenance:
- General Network Maintenance Window
- Planned maintenance/outages are carried out between 11:00 PM – 6:00 AM, 7 days a week to minimise the possibility of unplanned outages.
- Inspire Wireless Maintenance
- Some maintenance must be done during daylight hours for health and safety reasons.
- This can include equipment replacements or upgrades at towers or hilltop sites where safe access is only possible during the day.
- Planned vs Unplanned Outages
- Planned Outages are maintenance activities we schedule in advance to reduce the risk of unplanned outages. We will do our best to notify customers of any major planned outages affecting a large portion of Inspire Net customers via our website and Social Media Platforms.
- Unplanned Outages can occur unexpectedly due to factors outside our control (e.g. weather, power outages, third-party failures, equipment faults). We aim to restore services as quickly as possible, but these may happen without notice. We will do our best to notify customers of any major unplanned outages affecting a large portion of Inspire Net customers via our website and Social Media Platforms.
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The next newsletter will be out in a more-timely manner in December with a Christmas goodies competition
We wish you all the best with the run up to the silly season
- Your Inspire Net team. |
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